The Russellville Democrat. [volume] (Russellville, Ark.) 1875-1898, 1887-04-13
THIRTEENTH YEAR.---NO. II.
BILL NYE'S RAILWAY PASS.
Lines on Returning the Blasted
Document to the Genial
Giver.
HUDsoN, WIS.,, March 30, 1887.

w. f. White, Esq, general passenger
agent. Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe
Railroad, Topeka, Kan:
DEAR SIR:--I enclose herewith
annual pass No. @ 035 for self and
family over your Justly celebrated
road during the year 1887. also
return your photograph and the let
ters YOU have written me during the
past five years. Will you kindly re-
turn mine2 And so this brief and
beautiful experience is to end, and
each of US must go his own way here
after.
Alas!
To you this may be easy, but it
brings pain to my heart which
your gentle letter of the lst inst.
cannot wholly alleviate.
Whenever, hereafter, you look
upon this tear speckled pass viii
you not think OF me? Remember
that you have cast me from you and
that am wandering across the
bleak and wind swept plains, sadly
enumerating the ties on my way to
eternity.
| do not say this to reproach you,
for | fear that you care for another,
and SO we could not be happy again
together But, oh do YOU pause to
fully comprehend the pang it costs
me to return this pleasant faced lit
tie pass, with it's conditions on the
back? Could you see me even now,
as write these lines, turning away
ever and anon, laying aside my
trembling pen to 60 and sit by the
CRATE and weep and put out the fire
with my bitter tears, your heart
would soften and you would say:
"Return, o wanderer, returnr'
You do not say in your letter that
| have been false to you, or that |
have ever grown cold. You do not
charge me with infidelity or failure
to provide. You simply say that it
would be better for each to 90 his
several ways, forgetting that my
several ways are passing away, pass
ing away.
1t is well enough for you to talk
about going your several ways.
You have every facility for doing so,
but with me it is different. Several
years ago large Northwestern
cyclone and myself tried to pass each
other on the same track. When the
wrecking crew found me | was in
the crotch Of butternut tree, with
a broken leg. Since that time have
walked with great difficulty, and to
go my several ways has been very
serious matter with me.
But / do not want you to think |
am murmuring. ] accept my doom
calmly, yet with slight tinge of
unavailing regret.
Some time, perhaps In the middle
of the dark and angry night, when
the cold blasts wall through the tele
graph wires and the crashing s.eet
rushes with wild and impetuous fury
against the windows Of your special
car, as you lie warmly and ensconced.
ia gour yoluptuous berth and hear
she pl4fless winds, with hoarse and
croupy Aoans chase each other
around the i ssansas haystacks or
shrek wildly away as they light out
for their cheerless Aome in the bad
lands, will you not thlnS OF me as
grope on blindly through tue keen
and pitiless blasts, stumbling over
cattle guards, falling into culyerts
and beating ont nay rare young
brains against your rough right Of
way--will you not think OF me2 /
do not ask much of you, bot 1 do ask
this as we seperate forever.
As you whiz by me do not treat
me with contumely, or throw crack
ers at me when / have meekly turn
ed out to let your hanghty old train
90 by. | have always spoken Of
YOU in the highest terms, and | hope
you will do the same by me
Life is short at the pest, and it is
especially so for those who have to
walk. Walking has already short
ened my life great deal, and |
wouldn't be surprised if the expos
ure and bunions of the year 1887
carried me of, leaving gap IN
American literature that will look
like a new cellar.
Should any of your engineers or
trackmen find me frozen in a cut
next winter when the grass gets
short and the nights get long, will
you kindly ask them to report the
brand to your auditor and instruct
him to allow my family what he
thinks would be right? / hate to
write to you in this detected manner,
but you cannot understand how
heavy my heart is to day as pen
these lines.
I wish you and your beautiful
road unmiligaLed success. IL is u
good road, for have passed over it
ana enjoyed it. How different the
country will look to me as ! go
bounding from tie to tie, slowly re
peatiDg TO myself the trite remark
once made by the Governor OF North
Carolina to the executive Of South
Caiolina
hope you may never know what
tits to pull into the quaint little
city Of La Junta with the dust OF
many mile upon you and the thirst
of q long, uneventlHl journey IN your
throat. hope that Congress wlll
,ot mass law next year which will